Images: Royal Challengers vs Chennai Super Kings

Two India captains toss

Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Anil Kumble won the toss and elected to bat. The visitors beefed up their middle order by including Kevin Pietersen and Cameron White. They replaced Eoin Morgan and Mark Boucher respectively, which meant Robin Uthappa will take over as the wicketkeeper.

Chennai also made a couple of changes to their line-up. Pacers Chandrasekar Ganapathy and Manpreet Gony were included in place of Lakshmipathy Balaji and Joginder Sharma for the hosts, who are struggling after four losses in a row.

Bangalore won four matches in a row before losing their last match against Delhi Daredevils.

Gony drops a sitter

Robin Uthappa, promoted up the order, after the early dismissal of Manish Pandey got an early lifeline even before he had opened his account.

He tried to pull Albie Morkel across the line but ended up lobbing a simple high catch towards mid-off. However, to the Chennai team's dismay, Gony put down the easy offering in the fourth over of the match.

Jakati strikes

With runs flowing against the seamers, Dhoni was forced to introduce left-arm spinner Shadab Jakati into the attack and the move paid off.

Uthappa (21 from 13 balls) tried to slog sweep Jakati but hit it straight into the hands of Gony, at midwicket, who pouched it neatly this time as Bangalore were reduced to 55 for two after seven overs.

The spinners managed to put some brakes on the scoring with Jakati taking one for 11 in two overs and Muthian Muralitharan conceding just four in his first over.

Pietersen punishes Chennai

Kevin Pietersen, playing his first match in the tournament, played a few strokes in the final overs, hitting 23 from 14 balls, while Cameron White stroked 21 from 13 balls as the duo were involved in an unbroken stand of 44 runs in 27 balls for the fifth wicket.

Pietersen made his presence felt by slamming a full delivery from Thilan Thushara into the stands over long-off; the pacer went for 18 runs in the over, the 19th.

Kumble has Hayden early

Matthew Hayden got his first boundary of the innings when he hit Kallis over the long-on fielder for a huge six, in the fifth over.

But somehow it was the Aussies day, as he struggled to 12 from 14 balls before he was dismissed. He charged down the wicket to Kumble but was beaten by the googly and wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa completed an easy stumping with Chennai reduced to 62 for one after seven overs.